Explore how HPM Consultants brings clarity to complex scheduling,delay and damages disputes.
A significant loss event occurred during the construction of a 42-story luxury high-rise residential tower in Los Angeles, resulting in extensive property damage and several months of project delay. The incident gave rise to both a Builder’s Risk and Delay in Start-Up (DSU) insurance claim. The parties were unable to reach agreement on the extent to which the loss event affected the project schedule and ultimate completion date, leading to litigation in federal court.
The loss event disrupted the work of multiple trades and subcontractors, requiring extensive resequencing, recovery planning, and schedule acceleration efforts to mitigate the resulting delays. HPM Consultants was retained to evaluate the schedule impacts and prepare an independent expert opinion regarding the delay attributable to the loss event.
Our analysis included a comprehensive review of the contemporaneous project records, construction schedules, correspondence, and other project documentation to determine the most appropriate forensic schedule analysis methodology. Given the insurance coverage issues, the assignment required careful consideration of both scheduling principles and insurance claim requirements. Multiple recognized forensic delay analysis methodologies were applied, and the findings were presented in a clear, logical, and accessible manner for counsel and the court.
The appropriate delay analysis methodology became a central issue in the litigation, with the opposing expert relying on a substantially different analytical approach. Following briefing on a motion for summary judgment, the federal court accepted our methodology over that advanced by the opposing expert. Our rigorous analysis, grounded in industry best practices and supported by the contemporaneous project record, provided a strong technical foundation that significantly advanced our client’s position in the litigation.
Construction projects rely on accurate scheduling to keep work moving efficiently, but understanding why a project was delayed requires a different level of analysis. While schedulers and delay experts both work with construction timelines, their responsibilities and methods are not the same. A scheduler focuses on creating and managing project schedules, while a delay expert investigates […]
Construction delays can create serious financial and scheduling challenges, but the success of a delay claim often depends on the quality of documentation available. Without clear records, it can become difficult to prove when a delay occurred, who was responsible, and how the project was affected. A construction claims expert witness can help review schedules, correspondence, and […]
